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altivoWent to the supermarket this morning hoping to get stuff to grill all weekend. Though I did bring home things we can cook that way, I was pretty put off by the prices. It's traditional at least to see things like hot dogs go on sale when there's a long summer weekend, but no. Very few sale items, most unrelated to the season. I was particularly appalled by "steaks" at $7.99 a pound. Those looked like petrified shoe leather. Not that I'm particularly attracted to meat, because I'm not. It's just traditional and Gary does like it. I settled for some "country ribs" (for the folks in EU or AU who may not know what those are, they are pork ribs cut from the thin end of the loin. Not enough meat to be pork chops, but too much to be spare ribs. Pork has been much less expensive since the swine flu scare, though it's starting to creep up again now.
Anyway, I looked up a more traditional way of doing them than what I'd usually have done, so they were marinated in red wine and baked in a slow oven, tightly covered, until tender. Then I rubbed them with a mixture of chili powder, freshly ground black pepper, cinnamon, and salt before we put them on the charcoal fire for another 15 minutes. As long as the fire was built up, I also took some boneless chicken breast, pounded it thinner with a mallet, marinated it in Italian dressing, and we did those at the same time. They'll reheat nicely or can be used in Caesar salad this week.
I decided on rice instead of potato salad, and made red tomato rice in the Mexican style. You make a tomato salsa or use a prepared one, and set it aside. Heat some olive oil (a Tbsp. or so) in a pan that can go into the oven as well as on top of the stove (I used Corning Ware because I have a couple of pieces of it) and stir a cup of uncooked white rice into the hot oil and sauté until it starts to brown or turn chalky looking. Then stir in a cup or more of salsa and a cup of chicken stock or water. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover tightly, and place in a 350°F oven for about 30 minutes. The rice cooks and soaks up all the liquid, leaving the sort of red rice you often get at Mexican restaurants. I stir in some fresh cilantro leaves before serving. We have cilantro and lettuce in our garden patch now.
We also had a black bean dip made by whipping up a can of black beans (drained and rinsed) with a jalapeño, some garlic, and some salsa. I added some chili powder, paprika, and just a pinch of sugar. That was tasty with corn chips and a dab of sour cream.
Tossed green salad with tomatoes and vidalia onion rings, and a couple of Woodchuck ciders that I found gathering dust in the cupboard completed the meal. It turned out really well, and was worth the effort.
Anyway, I looked up a more traditional way of doing them than what I'd usually have done, so they were marinated in red wine and baked in a slow oven, tightly covered, until tender. Then I rubbed them with a mixture of chili powder, freshly ground black pepper, cinnamon, and salt before we put them on the charcoal fire for another 15 minutes. As long as the fire was built up, I also took some boneless chicken breast, pounded it thinner with a mallet, marinated it in Italian dressing, and we did those at the same time. They'll reheat nicely or can be used in Caesar salad this week.
I decided on rice instead of potato salad, and made red tomato rice in the Mexican style. You make a tomato salsa or use a prepared one, and set it aside. Heat some olive oil (a Tbsp. or so) in a pan that can go into the oven as well as on top of the stove (I used Corning Ware because I have a couple of pieces of it) and stir a cup of uncooked white rice into the hot oil and sauté until it starts to brown or turn chalky looking. Then stir in a cup or more of salsa and a cup of chicken stock or water. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover tightly, and place in a 350°F oven for about 30 minutes. The rice cooks and soaks up all the liquid, leaving the sort of red rice you often get at Mexican restaurants. I stir in some fresh cilantro leaves before serving. We have cilantro and lettuce in our garden patch now.
We also had a black bean dip made by whipping up a can of black beans (drained and rinsed) with a jalapeño, some garlic, and some salsa. I added some chili powder, paprika, and just a pinch of sugar. That was tasty with corn chips and a dab of sour cream.
Tossed green salad with tomatoes and vidalia onion rings, and a couple of Woodchuck ciders that I found gathering dust in the cupboard completed the meal. It turned out really well, and was worth the effort.
no subject
Date: 2011-07-03 09:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-03 10:44 pm (UTC)I don't often do that much complexity for a single meal unless company is coming, but this is, after all, a holiday weekend and deserves some extra. We do cook at home most of the time, but rather simpler than that. I stress fresh vegetables and salad, though, and the meat goes before they do if the budget gets too tight.
Today we're going to just put some bratwurst on the grill, very simple. Sweet corn, home made potato salad, and baked beans will go with that.